Day 1 Results

RUSTON, La. – University of Hawai'i freshman Samantha Balentine is in fourth place after the first day of the heptathlon at the 2010 Western Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Jim Mize Track and Field Complex.

 

Balentine, a freshman from Lodi, Calif., is the only Rainbow Wahine competing among the 13 participants. Idaho's Ulrike Hartz has the day 1 lead with 3,263 points followed by Louisiana Tech's Jesseka Jones (3,185), Nevada's April Pate (3,061) and Balentine (3,003).

 

The UH heptathete started the day with a seventh place finish and event personal best in the 100-meter hurdles (15.27) but quickly moved up to the top of the leader board with a first place finish in the high jump (5-8/1.73m).

 

“High jump was my best event,” Balentine said. “I cleared 1.73m which helped my ranking for regionals and I almost cleared 1.76 in my last attempt so that was pretty exciting.”

 

Balentine followed her PR in the high jump with another personal best in the shot put (36-4.25/11.08m) which was good for fifth place. She ended the day with an eighth place showing in the 200-meter dash (27.07), another event best. Her 3,003 points is a PR and 163 points improvement off her previous best.

 

“I'm pretty excited,” Balentine said. “I got a seasonal best in three out of the four events so I'm pretty stoked about it.”

 

The seven-discipline heptathlon concludes on Thursday. The first full day of competition is Friday with most event finals scheduled for Saturday.